Is there anyone we can put pressure on? The IRB is worthless-- their ineffectiveness is a big reason this was allowed this to happen. Should we be bombarding our state reps? the crooked Gov? Do we know why it's moving so slowly?

How so? They have nothing to do with legislation. Legislation is the business of our tracks and horsemen.

Because they should have done a better job publicizing that this was going to happen and not wait until AFTER the legislature failed to act. Plus they are all political appointees and beholden to the crooks in Springfield in the pockets of the casinos. If TwinSpires and Xpressbet had any balls they should have kept taking bets and forced the state to prosecute them They never would have because then it would be publicized that the state with the worst credit rating in the country was allowing a revenue producing law to expire. The AG would never have allowed her father to be put in such a negative light.

Or maybe because they made a deal with the horsemen to transfer money from the Fall purses and apply it to Spring.

Extra $300,000 in OTB simulcast handle is only about $15,000/day in purse money. Maybe.

http://www.barntowire.com/2013/HAWnotes130222.htmlOfficials at Hawthorne Race Course announced on Friday that overnight purses at the track will increase by $12,000 per day. The purse hike will take effect March 1 and will increase the purses on overnight races across the board by approximately 15 percent.

Ok the first sentence say $12,000 a day increase. For the 15% Math to be correct the current purse structure would be 80K a day. Some thing is wrong with this. Is it the 15% or the 12K?

I don't know what you are talking about. I'm a serious horseplayer and was completely unaware of this potential freeze until late December. The casual player will have no clue they can't bet online until they actually attempt to make a bet. There was no attempt to communicate this in the traditional press. Hell, there wasn't even a single story on DRF. Only the Bloodhorse covered it. Search for Illinois ADW on DRF and let me know what you get.

If they were actually serious about ending this, they would have regular updates on their webpage describing any progress, or lack there of, happening. Nothing except the same vague message put up on Jan 1. I contacted them 3 weeks ago asking for an update and it took a week for them to respond with a "it's in the legislature's hands now" reply. I want to know WHY this hasn't been brought to a vote. WHO is blocking it. But is the IRB interested in sharing that information? lol, of course not.

FYI, the members of the IRB ARE political appointees. And if you think they have done anything to help racing in the last 20 years, you haven't been paying much attention. Illinois has a disgraceful quality of racing for what should be one of the top 3 markets in racing. (And another FYI for you, Illinois racing is behind NY, SoCal, KY, La, FL for sure and possibly also Ark, NorCAl, Pa and NJ.) The Carey's are loving this because with less competition, their hell hole of a racetrack is the only game in town. And the IRB bends over backwars to help Hawthorne out at every turn-- $750k purse for the Illinois Derby? Puhleeze.

But yeah, make excuses for them. I'm sure they are all real nice people and didn't get these political appointments for any reason other than competence. Because we all know that's how things roll in the Land of Lincoln. Patronage would NEVER trump competence, nah...

I came on this board because I was hoping someone on here might actually know what the hold up is. Instead I get this "defender of the IRB"? Well, you sir, are as much of a problem as the legislature. Defending the IRB with a straight face reveals your obvious ties by blood to some member. Or maybe you're an actual member of the board pretending to be a casual observer. Who knows, I saw someone on here earlier today pretending to be Andy Serling. Apparently That's how things roll on here...

Here's a challenge-- find ONE article in the Trib, Sun Times, Herald or DRF dated before Jan 1st that warns of the impending sunset of the ADW legislation and post the link. Just one. Good luck...Oh yeah, that's a FINE job. Boy, talk about grading on a curve. Honest and balanced huh? lol

I don't know what you are talking about. I'm a serious horseplayer and was completely unaware of this potential freeze until late December.

Then you weren't paying attention. Everyone here knew all about it. What do you expect the IRB to do, send you a personal note about the issue? Wouldn't you expect the ADW vendor you actually do business with to do that?

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The casual player will have no clue they can't bet online until they actually attempt to make a bet. There was no attempt to communicate this in the traditional press.

Bullshit. It was common knowledge.

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If they were actually serious about ending this, they would have regular updates on their webpage describing any progress, or lack there of, happening.

Yo, slick, THE IRB IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LEGISLATION. It only carries out the law. The parties responsible for moving legislation are your tracks, horsemen, and ADWs.

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FYI, the members of the IRB ARE political appointees. And if you think they have done anything to help racing in the last 20 years, you haven't been paying much attention.

They do what they can with the hand the Assembly has dealt them. They're referees in charge of administrating the law, that's all. They're not some cheerleader force tasked with moving Illinois racing. We already posted the legal language. Look elsewhere for your under-performing industry leaders.

Then you weren't paying attention. Everyone here knew all about it. What do you expect the IRB to do, send you a personal note about the issue? Wouldn't you expect the ADW vendor you actually do business with to do that?

Bullshit. It was common knowledge.No , it wasn't-- but hey, if you swear and respond in a an angry tone maybe people will believe you know what you are talking about. Again, I Challenge you to find ONE link-- just one-- from the Trib, SunTimes, Herald or DRF-- hell, anyplace but this site that only about 300 people look at-- dated before Jan 1st outlining the impending sun-setting of the ADW legislation. But I notice you ignored that challenge since we both know you can't do it. You can't link to something that just doesn't exist.

Based on your screen name's homage to Foxnews, I'll assume you're one of those Tea Bagger dudes that haven't met a fact that you can't deny. But guess what, they did NOT communicate this change to the general public at all and frankly haven't done a single thing to improve the quality of racing since I've been paying attention-- the better part of 25 years. Illinois racing has declined on a yearly basis and they are responsible for supporting and protecting the industry. THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THEIR EXISTENCE. If you think keeping paying customers interested and able to spend their money on your business and potentially even attracting new ones isn't part of their charter then frankly, you just don't understand anything about their role OR how to run a successful business. The fact that you are defending such a blatantly and unarguably ineffective body reveals your own complete lack of credibility. You may live on this site and post 1000's of times a day but those of us that live in the real world can look at both the IRB and you and see both for what you actually are....

Are those the only approved news sources for Illinois horseplayers? The poor clueless guys dumber than you, I mean, that you have to look out for.

Took me about 4 seconds to to find the following in the archives of this forum, dated 12/18:

Are you just being difficult because I'm proving you wrong so easily? Why would I search for something I didn't know was happening? I didn't even know this site existed before today. Again, I'll try it slowly... one link to a site that the general public might come across that outlines the impending shut down of ADW before it actually happened. If the IRB did a "fine job" -- your words--of communicating it effectively, surely even YOU would admit, we should be able to find ONE link somewhere in the mainstream press? But you can't find one because you are an apologist for the IRB and Illinois racing in general...

.No , it wasn't-- but hey, if you swear and respond in a an angry tone maybe people will believe you know what you are talking about.

Yes, it was, certainly on this local forum, but if you make all sorts of claims it wasn't and style the people disagreeing with you dishonest and unbalanced I guess you think you're right.

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Again, I Challenge you to find ONE link-- just one-- from the Trib, SunTimes, Herald or DRF--

I did. I gave you the Bloodhorse. That's with Bloodhorse conclusive evidence that, 1) it was a known issue ahead of time, and b) the IRB was telling news outlets about the impending shutdown. If YOU can't find any news anywhere else, whose fault is that?

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Based on your screen name's homage to Foxnews, I'll assume you're one of those Tea Bagger dudes that haven't met a fact that you can't deny.

Are you just being difficult because I'm proving you wrong so easily? Why would I search for something I didn't know was happening?

Pretty much an admission you're clueless.

If you're a horse player but not bothering to follow industry news from various sources then you really have no legitimate basis to claim, "BUT I DIDN'T KNOW!" when something bites you in the ass. "BUT I DIDN'T KNOW!" is the excuse of losers.

Are you just being difficult because I'm proving you wrong so easily? Why would I search for something I didn't know was happening? I didn't even know this site existed before today. Again, I'll try it slowly... one link to a site that the general public might come across that outlines the impending shut down of ADW before it actually happened. If the IRB did a "fine job" -- your words--of communicating it effectively, surely even YOU would admit, we should be able to find ONE link somewhere in the mainstream press? But you can't find one because you are an apologist for the IRB and Illinois racing in general...

You are wrong. You've created some new job description for the IRB. From their government website:

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The mission of the Illinois Racing Board is to regulate horse racing through the enforcement of the Act and its rules and regulations and to ensure the honesty and integrity of Illinois racing and wagering.

The IRB holds regular and special meetings as may be necessary to perform properly and effectively all duties under the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975.